This holiday season, Save the Children is set to debut its very first gaming‑focused fundraiser, a live‑streamed event dubbed Save Point. The initiative, scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026, merges the excitement of video games with the charitable spirit of the season, offering a new avenue for supporters to contribute. Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the gaming community. “We wanted a platform that would let us interact with gamers and streamers on a level that feels natural for them,” she explained.
“Not everyone has the stamina or time to run a marathon, but a gaming marathon is far more inclusive and gives us a chance to demonstrate how different kinds of supporters can make a real impact.” The event will be anchored by popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped raise over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier this year. Baxter emphasized that the partnership with TheKapFantastic is just the beginning of a longer‑term strategy to cultivate relationships with gamers, influencers, and their audiences.
“If we can walk away from Save Point with a fresh cohort of enthusiastic supporters who want to keep gaming for our cause, we’ll consider the event a massive success,” she said. Baxter also highlighted the learning curve involved.
“This is our first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, so the insights we gather—from viewer engagement metrics to donation spikes during key gameplay moments—will be invaluable. Those lessons will help us design even bigger, more sophisticated gaming events in the years to come.” In her view, gamers and streamers are the "unsung heroes of fundraising," a group that is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She noted that the gaming community shares a love of storytelling, imagination, and immersive worlds, which can be harnessed for tangible social good. "When we translate our passion for play into a catalyst for lasting change, we showcase just how powerful the gaming community can be," Baxter asserted.
Save Point forms a key component of Save the Children’s broader campaign, "The One Delivery That Matters," which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public attention from traditional holiday gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis desperately need—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter illustrated the contrast: "Anyone can order a toy with a click, but for millions of children this Christmas, the most critical deliveries are those that sustain life and protect childhood.” The event’s format will blend live gameplay, interactive donation challenges, and real‑time updates on how contributions are being allocated.
Viewers will be able to donate directly through integrated platforms, with milestones triggering special in‑game events or exclusive content from participating streamers. By aligning the excitement of achievement unlocks with charitable milestones, Save Point aims to create a feedback loop where every donation feels like a power‑up for the cause. Beyond the immediate fundraising goal, Save Point is designed to raise awareness about the ongoing needs of children worldwide. Throughout the two‑day stream, the charity will showcase stories from field workers, share footage of the impact of previous deliveries, and provide transparent reporting on how funds are used.
This educational component is intended to deepen the audience’s connection to the mission, turning casual viewers into long‑term advocates. To join the event, participants can register their interest via the Save the Children website.
Once signed up, they will receive a guide on setting up a fundraising livestream, including technical tips, best practices for audience engagement, and suggestions for integrating donation prompts into their gaming sessions. The organization also plans to offer a toolkit with branding assets, such as overlays and alerts, to help streamers maintain a cohesive visual identity throughout the broadcast.
In summary, Save Point represents a pioneering step for Save the Children, merging the digital playground of gaming with the timeless goal of protecting vulnerable children. By tapping into the creativity, community spirit, and technological savvy of gamers, the charity hopes to deliver life‑saving supplies to those who need them most this Christmas, while also forging lasting partnerships that will sustain future fundraising efforts. The event promises to be both a celebration of play and a powerful demonstration of how virtual worlds can be leveraged for real‑world impact.